May 23, 2012--Speaking at The
Latino Coalition's annual economic summit at the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce, former Gov. Mitt
Romney, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, declared,
"We're in the midst of a national education
emergency." "Millions of our kids are getting a third world
education, and America's minority children suffer the most," Romney
stated. "This is the civil rights issue of our era. It is
the greatest challenge of our time." Romney vowed, "As president,
I will pursue a very bold policy of change that will
restore the promise of our national education system." He
outlined a series of proposals emphasizing choice and change, and he
also had sharp words for teachers unions. "Whenever anyone dares
to offer a new idea, the unions protest the loudest," Romney
said. [prepared remarks, press release and reactions]